# Decanting Port Into Crystal



## Double Ligero (Jun 5, 2006)

Ran across this info. Decanted Port into a crystal decanter has elevated lead levels even after 2 days!

Just another reason to just finish off the bottle!:r

Lead crystal and food safety
Significant amounts of lead can migrate from lead crystal containers into beverages stored in them.[1] Lead crystal typically contains 24-32 percent lead oxide. In a study performed at North Carolina State University, the amount of lead migration was measured for port wine stored in lead crystal decanters. After two days, lead levels were 89 µg/L (micrograms per liter). After four months, lead levels were between 2,000 and 5,000 µg/L. White wine doubled its lead content within an hour of storage and tripled it within four hours. Some brandy stored in lead crystal for over five years had lead levels around 20,000 µg/L.[citation needed] To put this into perspective, EPA's lead standard for drinking water is 15 µg/L = 15ppb.[2] Citrus juices and infant formula leach lead from crystal just as effectively as alcoholic beverages. Several companies do make lead crystal baby bottles and it is suspected they may present a health danger to infants.[citation needed]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_crystal

and

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/wine/lead-crystal.asp


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## snkbyt (Jun 22, 2006)

interesting.................must be why my foot felt a little heavier after drinking from my LC decanter last week.........lol


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## Twill413 (Jul 19, 2006)

But the question is, why would you decant port for two days? Is it different from something like cabernet that usually only needs to be decanted for an hour? Or is it something that people just use their decanted as a storage device when they don't finish the bottle? I know that when I decant and don't finish it, I pour it back into the bottle. Of course my decanter isn't lead crystal anyways, since I don't have that kind of money laying around . Nice info though.


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## RGD (May 10, 2006)

I have a fondness for Waterford Crystal - under the care and up-keep directions, although they don't specify lead leaching, they do caution not to keep any spirits stored in them. To use for serving only. Over time spirits can and will cause discoloration of the glass.


Ron


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

If I open a bottle with port tongs, then I have little choice than pour it into a decanter. At our port tastings, each bottle is always opened with tongs to validate the cork and then poured into a collection 19th century decanters that are all lead crystal. This does concern me, but very rarely is port in the decanter for more 5 hours. Regular VP's from the 70's or newer are not much of concern with the cork, so maybe I'll be more vigilant to open them with cork screws to retain use in the bottle. Either way, VP has to be decanted. My prefered method is to filter into a decanter, rinse the VP bottle out with water and then pour the VP back into the bottle. I save corks incase the cork gets ruined and I have a back up.

It is common practice to decant into crystal, and tawny ports can last for a couple of weeks or so once opened...


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